Maryland ranks among worst states for drivers

Our sympathies to anyone driving back to Maryland after Christmas, as a new study says the state is one of the worst in the U.S. for drivers. Bankrate.com calculated the best and worst states for…

Our sympathies to anyone driving back to Maryland after Christmas, as a new study says the state is one of the worst in the U.S. for drivers.

Bankrate.com calculated the best and worst states for drivers by analyzing a series of measures related to driving costs, safety and quality. Maryland ranked No. 45 among states, largely due to relatively high driving costs, low driving quality and unsafe driving conditions.

According to data collected by Bankrate.com, the average auto insurance premium in Maryland in 2018 is $1,439, and 25 percent of roads in the state are in poor condition. The average commute time for Marylanders is about 30 minutes and the state had a motor vehicle theft rate of 224.2 cars stolen per 100,000 residents in 2017.

The state also saw 505 traffic fatalities in 2016, yielding a fatality rate of .85 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Maryland scored 18.25 total points in the survey — far less than the 41 points scored by top state in the ranking,…